§ 6.04.01. Generally

A.

Purpose

The following design and construction standards have been adopted by Hillsborough County to protect the public health, safety and welfare; maintain smooth and efficient traffic flow; maintain proper roadway drainage; and to protect the functional level of the public roadway system. The standards that apply to a particular access are based upon the "Access Classification" of the main roadway and the connection "Type".

B.

General Requirement

No person shall construct or modify any connection providing vehicular or pedestrian access to or from any County roadway from or to adjacent property without a connection permit issued pursuant to this Division. Unless an unusual risk to the public health safety or welfare is identified, the portion of these access management standards dealing with number, size, and location of access points and the requirements for cross-access or joint access are not mandatory on previously approved and unexpired General Site Plans and Site Plan District Zoning where specific access points have been approved.

C.

Permit Classifications

Roadway connections will be classified in accordance with the proposed land use and anticipated traffic generation. Traffic generation estimates shall be based on the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Trip Generation or other rates accepted by Hillsborough County. The standards governing design and construction of the connection will be based on the connection type and the public roadways access classification. The County shall determine the type and classification of all connections.

D.

Type I—MINIMUM CONNECTION or SIDEWALK

Low volume traffic generator. Provides access to a single family dwelling, a duplex or multi family dwelling units. The term shall also apply to driveways used as access to agricultural land including field entrances and to all sidewalk and bikeway connections. Land uses served by Type I connections are expected to generate fewer than 50 daily vehicle trip ends. The estimates of daily trips shall be based on the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Trip Generation, latest edition or other rates accepted by the County.

E.

Type II—MINOR CONNECTION

Medium volume traffic generator. Provides access to property being used for other than nominal residential and agricultural uses. Land uses served by Type II connections are expected to generate 50 or more daily vehicle trip ends, but fewer than 1,500 daily vehicle trip ends per average weekday. The estimates of daily trips shall be based on the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Trip Generation, latest edition or other rates accepted by the County.

F.

Type III—MAJOR CONNECTION

Highway volume traffic generator. Provides access to facilities which generate high traffic volumes such as shopping centers, industrial parks, office parks, colleges, apartment or condominium complexes, etc. Land uses served by Type III connections are expected to generate 1,500 or more daily vehicle trip ends. The estimates of daily trips shall be based on the Institute of Transportation Engineer's Trip Generation, latest edition or other rates accepted by the County.

G.

Type IV—PUBLIC/PRIVATE ROADS

All new public or private streets or roads.

H.

Type V—SPECIAL CORRIDORS

Access to public roadways designated as Special Corridors by the Board of County Commissioners.

1.

Daily trip ends, as used in this section, shall be based on the peak traffic generating day of the proposed land use(s).

2.

Access "Type" for new or substantially changed land uses shall be based on the projected trip generation for the entire site. Access "Type" for additional access to existing land uses which are not being significantly changed may be based upon the anticipated daily traffic volumes which are expected to be generated at the requested additional access. The applicant shall provide, to the County for its review and concurrence, an estimate of traffic distribution at the existing access point(s) and at the requested additional access(s).

I.

Permit Required

1.

Before any connection to the public street system of unincorporated Hillsborough County is constructed or modified in any way, Hillsborough County shall either issue a permit for the work or make a determination that no permit is required. If a connection permit is required, the application should be submitted at the same time as the construction plans for the applicable type of development. More than one new or modified driveway at the same site may be included on a single permit. A connection permit shall generally be required for the following:

a.

All new driveways onto the public street system, regardless of whether the development served by the driveway is new or existed previously.

b.

All modifications to existing driveways that will result in a significant change in the driveway's traffic volumes and/or dimensions, location, profile, or in the manner in which stormwater is handled.

c.

Any modification to the driveway(s) required by the County due to changes made by the property owner that affect the safe and efficient operation of the driveway(s) or public street system.

d.

All new public or private roads, or modifications to private roads desired by the County or the property owner. For new development under the subdivision regulations of the County, approval of the final construction plans by the Administrator shall serve as approval of the new connection(s) and no separate permit will be required.

e.

All sidewalk or bikeway connections to the public street system.

f.

Temporary driveways which would accommodate access to parcels of land that are vacant or on which a building is under construction and that are not served by a permanent driveway.

2.

If a connection permit is required due to construction (for or by the County) on the public street or due to other conditions beyond the control of the property owner, all action required will be taken by the County, or other responsible agency and no fees will be assessed against the property owner.

3.

For any new connections or substantial modifications to existing connections within unincorporated Hillsborough County that are related to construction off the right-of-way, requiring a Building Permit, a Hillsborough County Connections Permit is also required. In this case, an application for connection permit must be filed with, or prior to, the application for the Building Permit, or site construction plans.

4.

An access connection permit from the Florida Department of Transportation must be obtained prior to the beginning of any construction on the State's right-of-way. The Florida Department of Transportation has original jurisdiction over the State Highway System within Hillsborough County.

5.

A connection permit is required for new connections or substantial modifications to existing connections to County right-of-way which is unimproved and/or unmaintained by the County. Connection permits to unimproved and/or unmaintained right-of-way may only be issued where the right-of-way provides sufficient ingress and egress for fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and emergency vehicles. Permits for connections to unimproved and/or unmaintained right-of-way shall not be issued until the owner of the property served by the connection signs and provides proof of recording with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the public records of Hillsborough County a notice, in a format approved by the County Attorney's Office, providing that:

a.

The property does not have access from a Hillsborough County maintained road, and the route of access to and from the property is not maintained with public funds; and

b.

Maintenance of the access route and/or drainage facilities as may be needed is the sole responsibility of the property owner; and

c.

The property owner is responsible for maintaining the access route to the property so as to provide sufficient ingress and egress for fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and emergency vehicles.

(Ord. No. 08029, § 2, eff. 2-1-09)